Tiny but Mighty

Tiny but Mighty

Welcome to the Tiny but Mighty Trail that guides you through 10 small yet significant objects throughout galleries in the museum.

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Tiny but Mighty Trail Map

Cuneiform envelope

Cuneiform envelopeCuneiform envelope, Mesopotamia, 2034 BC.

Cuneiform envelope
(Object 1 of 10)

This is a clay envelope from 2034 BC, Mesopotamia. The script is cuneiform, one of the earliest forms of writing. The clay and the encapsulated tablet inside have the same message – this was to guarantee that the message hadn't been tampered with. The message is a list of animals to be sacrificial offerings for the deities Shara and Gula, from Akalla, the city governor of Umma.

Kohl pots

Kohl potsKohl pots, Egypt, -2040-1750 BC.

Kohl pots
(Object 2 of 10)

These small jars with lids were used to store cosmetics. They are made from a stone called alabaster. Egypt was one of the earliest cultures to use cosmetics. Both Egyptian men and women used makeup to enhance their appearance. Traces of cosmetic powders have been found inside these jars. Recent

Seal decoy

Seal decoySeal decoy, Northwest Alaska, 1826 to 1827.

Seal decoy
(Object 3 of 10)

A seal decoy is made from wood, seal claws and sinew. Arctic peoples used it to hunt seal by scratching the surface of the ice. By imitating the animal's movement, a hunter could stalk the seal. Seals are one of the foods available to people living in extremely cold environments.

Moccasins

MoccasinsMoccasins, Eastern Woodlands, 1830.

Moccasins
(Object 4 of 10)

Moccasins are a soft, heel-less leather footwear. This pair of child's moccasins comes from the Eastern Woodlands region of the USA, and was made by the Huron-Wendat. It is made of black dyed caribou hide and has delicate decorations. By the late 19th century, Native American girls learned fine embroidery from nuns at the mission schools they attended, which influenced the appearance of moccasins.

Nephrite ornaments

Nephrite ornamentsNephrite ornaments, New Zealand, 19th century.

Nephrite ornaments
(Object 5 of 10)

Maori nephrite ornaments were collected from 19th century Aotearoa (New Zealand). They are considered taonga, which are highly prized and refer to treasures made by the ancestors. There is a Maori proverb (whakatauki) “Ahakoa he iti he pounamu”, meaning “although it is small it is precious.”
Nephrite (pounamu) was a well-known and highly valued green stone used to build relationships through trade and exchange. Pounamu has various legends depending on its distinct forms but is usually said to be a fish which was transformed to stone when it was exposed to the air.

Turtle-shell hook

Turtle-shell hookTurtle-shell hook, Hawaii, collected 1791-5.

Turtle-shell hook
(Object 6 of 10)

This is a Hawaiian fish hook carved from turtle shell. Turtle shell was a precious and sacred material in Hawaii, turtles were highly valued due to their close association with chiefly power and divinity. The turtle travels between the land and the sea, a place connected to the ancestors. The hook was considered a valued sacrificial offering.

Hairpin with kingfisher feathers

Hairpin with kingfisher feathersHairpin with kingfisher feathers, China, 19th century.

Hairpin with kingfisher feathers
(Object 7 of 10)

Tweezers were used to put tiny kingfisher feathers into the brass frames, one at a time. If it were high-status jewellery, the frames would be gold or silver. The striking iridescent blue of kingfisher feathers had been highly prized in ancient China.
The art of kingfisher feather inlay is known as tian tsui (pronounced “teeyan shway”) which originated in the Han Dynasty (202 BC-220 AD), and the development of such craftsmanship reached its peak in the Ch'ing Dynasty (1644-1911).

Receipt for water payment

Receipt for water paymentReceipt for water payment, Exeter, 1819.

Receipt for water payment
(Object 8 of 10)

This is a receipt for water payment from Exeter, 1819. Exeter has a long history of water supply since Roman times. Back then, people relied on springs and wells. In the 13th century, the Cathedral authorities in Exeter built the first underground, piped water system. A new water supply was commissioned by the city in 1694 to construct a water engine over the New Mill Leat due to the growing population and increasing need for water. Around about 1808, a local machine maker called James Golsworthy improved the water engine, replacing wooden pipes with cast iron pipes to reduce water leakage. Later after the cholera epidemic of 1832, various more improvements were made, including a new pumping station upstream from Exeter at Pynes and a new reservoir high above the city centre at Danes Castle. For centuries, only the wealthy could afford the piped water.

The Common Seal of Exeter

The Common Seal of ExeterThe Common Seal of Exeter, Exeter, 1170-1200.

The Common Seal of Exeter
(Object 9 of 10)

This silver seal is of the 12th century and is the oldest of the surviving civic seals in England. The design is symbolic and does not represent any actual building. The inscribed on it reads 'SIGILLVM CIVITATIS EXONIE', meaning 'the seal of the city of Exeter'. It was used at the Guildhall to authorise important documents.

Microlith

MicrolithMicrolith, Westward Ho!, 6,000-10,000 years old.

Microlith
(Object 10 of 10)

Microliths are stone tools used by people living in Devon after the ice age (from about 12,000 years ago). They are tiny flint blades that were carefully shaped. This one is from Westward Ho! in North Devon. It was designed to be mounted onto an arrow as a barb to prevent the arrow from dropping out of the aimed target. Other microliths could be used as arrowheads, cutting tools or drills.

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My Tiny but Mighty Notes

Tiny but Mighty

Tiny but Mighty

Welcome to the Tiny but Mighty Trail that guides you through 10 small yet significant objects throughout galleries in the museum.

The tour starts at the Ancient Worlds gallery and ends at the Making History gallery. You can follow the tour in numerical order or follow your own route. Please enjoy.

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